Corrosion Resistance of 9CrMoCoB Cast Steel: Role of B-Containing M23(C,B)6 Carbide Precipitation
摘要
In this study, the corrosion resistance of 9CrMoCoB cast steel subjected to isothermal heat treatment was evaluated using electrochemical tests and neutral salt spray corrosion tests. The influence of M23(C,B)6 precipitate formation at varying tempering durations on corrosion resistance was investigated through SEM analysis. As the tempering time increased from 10 to 150 min, both the average size and the extent of M23(C,B)6 precipitation increased. This was accompanied by a decrease in hardness and a trend in corrosion resistance that initially improved but subsequently declined. With increasing tempering time, the amount of M23(C,B)6 precipitates in 9CrMoCoB cast steel increases, accompanied by a decrease in dislocation density and a reduction in the solid solution content of chromium. Consequently, the corrosion resistance initially improves due to the precipitation of carbon but subsequently deteriorates as the chromium content in solid solution decreases. The 9CrMoCoB cast steel tempered for 120 min exhibited the lowest self-corrosion current density (0.772 Μa cm−2) and the highest polarization resistance (134.28 Ω cm2), indicating optimal corrosion resistance under these conditions. These findings provide valuable insights into the optimization of tempering processes for enhancing the corrosion resistance of 9CrMoCoB cast steel, offering potential improvements in the durability and longevity of materials used in high-performance applications.